Prospect Spotlight: Pierce Thomas (2021)
One of the most, if not the most athletic player in the state last year was Pierce Thomas. Now a sophomore, he looks to showcase his skills even more which have already provided a few offers for him. Last year, he played pretty well, but this high school season he is looking to take his game to another level. The 6’4 shooting guard is a guy who can elevate above the rim and get out and run in transition.
Butler pulled the trigger and was the first, and to this point, his only offer. With his developing game and crazy athleticism, that will be sure to change. Thomas has already taken visits to Butler, Indiana, and Purdue and tells me that he is planning to go on a visit to Ohio State on September 22nd. Creighton and Nebraska have also been some schools that have shown interest. Notre Dame has expressed interest but have backed off a little lately.
This summer, Thomas ran with Indy Heat and had a solid summer. He worked on making his shot a little more consistent and he worked on his handles. Thomas is working to become more of a combo guard so working on his handles was paramount. Right now, he is working on his footwork and still working on his jumper and ball handling.
The one knock on Thomas’s game right now is the inability to find a consistent shot. Even though he averaged 9.2 points a game last season, he shot just 39 percent from the floor. Once Thomas is able to get his jumper to a point where he is comfortable, he could become a very dangerous player. Thomas hangs his hat on his aggressiveness and being able to finish at the rim and that is what he will bring to the table this upcoming year. Once he develops his shot, he is going to be a tough guy to stop.
Thomas says that some of the things that separate him from other players on the floor is his athleticism, speed going down the court, his vision with and without the ball, and his playmaking ability. These four qualities to have as a freshman is great, to be one of the best in the state at them as a freshman is a whole different story. Be on the lookout for Thomas early this season, if his shot is working it could be a long season for Brownsburg’s opponents.